Just one day after the local UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative released that organization’s finding of serious micronutrient deficiencies in Dominican children, the Public Health Ministry (SESPRES) asserted that it is already addressing the problem. Dr. Matilde Vásquez, Director of Nutrition at SESPRES, pointed out to the news daily El Siglo that it has in the budget RD$17.7 million to supplement all pregnant women and children under the age of two with iron and folic acid in order to combat anemia. Anemia is a danger to pregnant women and can lead to low birth-weight in their children. Regarding iodine, one of the worst deficiencies identified by UNICEF, Dr. Vásquez said that SESPRES has worked with the local salt industry since 1995 to have this nutrient added to their product, and now all four salt producers offer iodized salt. [UNICEF has urged going a step further, and mandating by law that all salt sold in the DR contain a minimum iodine content.] As for vitamin A, SESPRES has negotiated with the sugar industry to add this nutrient to sugar, and has earmarked RD$10 million for this project. Vitamin A will not actually be added until the 1999 harvest, however, because the technicians responsible for the project need to receive training first in Guatemala. SESPRES is distributing vitamin A capsules to women and growing children, and has sufficient supplies of the capsules to last until the year 2000, thanks to UNICEF, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Government of Canada. In other areas, Dr. Vásquez said that (1) SESPRES has nearly concluded negotiations with the flour industry to added iron, folic acid and vitamin B complex to the flour and derivative products they manufacture; (2) SESPRES is designing campaigns to educate the public on which vegetables are rich in iron and vitamin A and the need to provide children these nutrients.
